When We Dream
by Lhinneill
Summary: An offworld accident brings Jack back to the SGC and forces him to make a decision he's been avoiding. SJ, team friendship.
1. Waking

_A/N: I __finally_ finished the first part of my prequel fic for Got Pants? Sorry it's taken so long. I've been dealing with writer's block. Again. Gah.

_Anyway. It's kinda dark, but don't worry. Things get better. Those of you who've read Got Pants? already knew that, though. _

* * *

_ -- Prologue --_

There was nothing to worry about, nothing in sight but golden sands and rolling waves...until something loud and offensive screamed in Sam's ear. She moaned, rolling to grope for the cordless receiver. Her hand met the clock, which she mistook for the phone at first, and it crashed to the floor. On the fifth ring, she finally managed to find the offending phone. She thumbed the talk button and lifted it to her ear. "Carter."

"Sam, hey. It's me—Daniel."

"Daniel?" Sam squinted to see what time it was, only to remember her clock was on the floor. It was still dark outside, so she knew it had to be...early. It was unlike Daniel to call like this, especially when he knew she needed her sleep after a day like yesterday.

"Sorry, Sam. I didn't want to wake you, but... Well, I - I thought you'd want to..."

The familiar sick prickle of fear started in Sam's stomach, worming its way back to grip her spine. It was amazing how quickly adrenaline could chase away the fog of sleep. "Daniel, what's wrong?"

"Jack's been in an accident. I don't know what happened, but Teal'c's on his way to the hospital."

Sam's chest tightened; she couldn't breathe. General O'Neill had boarded a flight from D.C. hours before, not long after Landry had told him about SG-1's mission on PY8-C56. Sam had heard he was coming, but she'd never... She hadn't talked to him in weeks.

"Sam? They...they said it was bad."

"I'm coming, Daniel."

* * *

Daniel met her at the door, his hair uncombed and his clothes rumpled. He put an arm around her shoulders, then walked with her to where the rest of the team waited outside the OR. Cam pushed off the wall and went to Sam, resting his hand on her shoulder. Vala offered her a paper cup of steaming coffee, and Teal'c opened his eyes, rising from his Kel'no'reem to join his teammates at Sam's side. They were all together; the old team and the new, joined by friendship. Sam knew nothing short of a Prior walking through the hospital doors would pull them away now, and she loved them for it.

They stayed through the night, until the sun began to peer through the windows. Vala had drifted off, her head resting on Teal'c's shoulder. Sam sat in the floor, her back to the wall, while Cam and Daniel took turns pacing the floor. They should have heard something by now. The longer it took, the less chance General O'Neill... No, she wouldn't let herself think that.

She was still fighting that thought when the door opened at last. The doctor stepped out, shoulders sagging. He looked at each member of the team, searching for whomever was in charge.

Cam and Daniel stopped pacing as soon as they saw the doctor and intercepted him as Sam stood.

"How is he?" Cam asked.

The doctor's gaze flicked to the team again. "I understand he has no family?"

Sam's heart clenched. Daniel said something, but she couldn't hear him. _No. No. He's alive._

"I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, but he didn't make it."

_He didn't make it..._

_ No, he's alive. He's alive! _She felt like someone had dropped her in a vat of ice water; she struggled to breathe, fighting against the water's pull, not realizing what she felt was Teal'c's arms wrapped tight around her.

_Jack's dead._

* * *

_ A/N: Uploaded new version 1-21-08.  
_


	2. On My Way

_N: There. Told you I'd get the next chapter up as soon as possible. :) Thanks to all you who took the time to review the last one.  
_

* * *

_-- 24 hours earlier --_

Daniel was the first to clear the event horizon, supporting a wounded Teal'c as well as he could. The Jaffa was bleeding from multiple shrapnel wounds on his left side and leg, and his right arm was broken. Daniel was no doctor, but he guessed the bones had been shattered.

A team of medics in hazmat suits were waiting at the bottom of the ramp. Until they knew the nature of the explosion in the labs back on PY8-C56, General Landry couldn't risk contamination of the SGC.

The event horizon rippled three times in quick succession as the remaining members of SG-1 returned to earth. Mitchell and Vala supported an unconscious Sam between them. As soon as they had cleared the wormhole, the iris slammed shut behind them. Daniel left Teal'c in the capable care of the medics and rushed to help Cam and Vala lower their comatose teammate to the ramp. More medics in hazmat suits followed close behind.

"Excuse me, sir," a medic said, laying a hand on Mitchell's shoulder.

Mitchell started to protest, but the medic's grip was firm. He sighed and the three reluctantly moved back to give the medics space to work.

Unlike Teal'c, Sam didn't have a scratch on her. Teal'c said she'd set off some kind of explosion that had thrown him back and crushed his arm, but there had been no visible effect on her. Well, aside from the coma she'd slipped into. Daniel still hadn't gotten the full story on how that had happened. By the time the other three teammates had made it to the lab, Teal'c had passed out and Sam wasn't moving. Mitchell had radioed the SGC to inform them of the situation while Vala and Daniel had performed emergency first aid on their friends.

"Dr. Jackson?" A young airman in a hazmat suit touched Daniel's shoulder, pulling him from his thoughts. "Time for decontamination, sir."

Daniel nodded. "I'm coming."

* * *

It took well over an hour for the decontamination team to finish their tiring routine. When they finally let him go, Daniel started for the isolation room to check on Sam, only to be apprehended by one of the on duty doctors. It took another 40 minutes for the doctor to finish a _very_ thorough examination. By the time he was released, Daniel was ready to strangle the next white-coated person he saw.

He didn't make it far before Dr. Lam ambushed him. Unaware of the archaeologist's mood, she planted herself in his path and held out a hand to stop him. "You should be resting, Dr. Jackson."

Daniel sighed impatiently. "I'm fine. I just want to check on Sam."

"I'm sorry. You can't see her right now," Dr. Lam insisted.

Daniel caught the flicker of understanding in her eyes, but it didn't change his mind. "I won't stay long, Doctor. I just--"

"No," she firmly asserted. "You should go clean up and rest. You could use a shower..." Dr. Lam broke off, sighing. "It'll help you feel better. And get some sleep, Daniel. You can see her in the morning, Daniel."

Daniel tucked his chin close to his chest and let his eyes slide closed. Yes he was tired, but there was no way he would get any sleep until he knew his teammate was going to be okay. That was the way the team worked. When one of them was down, they all felt it. As it was now, the team had _two _out of the game. No, there would be no sleeping tonight.

"Dr. Jackson?"

Daniel sighed. "Okay. Just let me know if anything changes."

"I will," the doctor promised. She started for her office, but Daniel caught her arm as she walked past. "What about Teal'c?"

"Teal'c will be fine. You can see him once you get some rest."

There it was again. Didn't she know he _had _to see them?

She must have recognized the look in his eyes. Sighing, she shook her head. "Fine. You can see Teal'c, but only for a moment. Deal?"

He nodded. "Thank you."

She gave him a _don't-thank-me-yet _look. He half expected her to give him another reminder to shower and rest. She didn't. Instead, she started for a curtained-off space in the back corner of the infirmary. Evidently they had decided Teal'c wasn't infected with anything threatening and moved him from isolation. That, at least, was good news.

Dr. Lam reached up and drew back the curtain. "Two minutes."

Daniel nodded and moved past her. At the sound of their voices, Teal'c stirred and opened his eyes. Daniel thought he looked better. "Hey, Teal'c," Daniel greeted with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"I will recover," the Jaffa assured, dipping his head in a minute nod. "How is ColonelCarter?"

The smile faded, and Daniel glanced back at Dr. Lam. She frowned and shook her head.

"I don't know," Daniel replied honestly. He met Teal'c's gaze. If he hadn't known the Jaffa so well, he would have missed the look of self-recrimination in his friend's eyes. "Teal'c - it's not your fault."

In all the years he had known Teal'c, Daniel had never been disappointed by his friend. He'd witnessed the man's strong sense of duty towards each member of the team. From the beginning, Teal'c had taken it upon himself to protect them, just like any big brother would. While the archaeologist appreciated his friend's protectiveness, he knew how hard Teal'c was on himself whenever he believed he'd failed. Frowning in concern, he reached out and gave his friend's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Dr. Lam stepped closer and touched Daniel's right elbow. He glanced back questioningly.

"Time's up, Dr. Jackson."

Daniel sighed. He gave Teal'c's shoulder a final pat and stepped back. "I'll see you in the morning."

* * *

Jack pushed his chair back from the desk and ran his fingers through his hair. A thoughtful frown touched his face. He'd forgotten to stop by the barber's again, hadn't he? He measured the strands with his fingers and leaned forward to peer at his reflection in the glass of a picture on his desk. Yep. He was starting to look decidedly shaggy. Sighing, he dropped his hands to the desk and scooted the chair forward. The hair would have to wait. He still had a stack of paperwork demanding his attention. And then there was the letter he'd been meaning to finish for the past month.

The thought deepened his frown and brought another sigh. Yeah, he needed to finish that letter. He'd already put it off far too long.

Resignedly, he reached for his favorite pen and then dug a paper with official USAF letterhead from a stack to his left. He poised the pen beneath the first line he'd already written, took a breath, and...

The phone rang.

Jack glared at it for a moment. Didn't they know he was busy?

It rang again.

Who would be calling this late anyway?

At the third ring, Jack reached for the phone with his free hand. "Hello?"

"Hey, Jack."

Jack sat up straighter. Well, that was a familiar voice. "Daniel."

"I called your apartment. You weren't home."

"No, I wasn't."

There was a pause.

"How you doin'?"

"Fine, Jack."

"That's...good."

Daniel sighed. "Jack."

"Daniel?"

"We ran into trouble offworld..."

_Damn it. _Jack scooted forward in his chair. "Carter? Teal'c?"

"They both got caught in an explosion. Teal'c's okay, but Sam's been out for...quite a while. Dr. Lam doesn't know what's wrong yet."

Jack glanced at his wristwatch. 2248. Too late to requisition a military plane, especially for personal reasons. He would have try for a commercial flight. He started to page his secretary, Caitlin, but remembered he'd sent her home an hour before. He would have to schedule his own flight.

"Jack?"

"Yeah, Daniel. I'm on my way."


	3. Losing Control

_A/N: Here we go, next chapter. I'm really having fun writing this. Thanks for all the reviews! I really appreciate it. :)_

* * *

Daniel shuffled into the briefing room, rubbing his eyes with the thumb and forefinger of his left hand. After calling Jack, he'd gone to the commissary to find Mitchell and Vala bickering over the last bowl of red jello. He grabbed a slice of pie and joined them. They spent most of the night there, drinking day-old coffee and rescuing leftover deserts. When Jack called at three in the morning, Daniel had driven to the airport to give his friend a ride to the SGC. He'd gotten back in time to collapse into bed for an hour before the alarm clock reminded him of that morning's briefing. Now all he wanted was a steaming cup of coffee; hopefully it would help him wake up before the briefing started.

He headed straight for the coffeepot and filled a mug. He didn't bother with any cream or sugar; he needed it strong and black. Taking a slow drink, he winced at the bitter taste. Walter must have made the coffee this morning. He took his seat at the table, carefully taking another sip.

Voices from the hall announced the arrival of another two members of the team--Vala and Mitchell. Vala took the seat beside Daniel while Mitchell aimed for the coffee. A moment later, Landry and his daughter emerged from the General's office, the doctor toting a stack of folders under one arm. She placed one in front of each team member before sitting beside Mitchell, across the table from Daniel and Vala. Jack was the last to appear. He looked worse than Daniel felt.

Once they all were seated, coffee in hand, Landry tapped his folder on the table and cleared his throat, then looked at Jack. "I assume Daniel briefed you on the situation?" Jack nodded, and the CO of the base motioned to his daughter, handing the briefing over to her.

She gave him a clipped nod and flipped open her folder. "I kept Colonel Carter under observation all night. And from what I can tell... She's in perfect health. All the tests came back clear, her vitals are good, and there's no signs of any alien viruses in her system. Aside from an abnormal amount of brain activity, I can't find anything wrong."

Mitchell frowned. "Abnormal how?"

Dr. Lam lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "I haven't seen anything like this before, Colonel. Her synaptic responses are far faster than we normally see during sleep. It's like she's not really asleep, or at least in a very deep state of REM."

Jack waved his hands, drawing the attention of everyone around the table. "So, that means...?"

The petite doctor sighed, meeting Jack's gaze evenly. "Best guess? She's dreaming."

Daniel planted his hands on the table and leaned forward. "Dreaming? That's it?"

Dr. Lam nodded. "That's what it looks like, Dr. Jackson. I can't find anything else to explain her condition."

"So... You're saying there's nothing you can do?" Jack prompted.

She sighed. "I honestly don't know, sir. We've made her comfortable and isolated her so she can't--"

Jack interrupted, face contorted with frustrated anger. "Well maybe that's the problem."

"Excuse me?" Dr. Lam blinked, surprised.

Jack exhaled sharply and started to respond, but Daniel swiftly cut in. "What Jack means is Sam needs us. We're a team. Her--" he cut himself short, glancing to the faces of the team members of SG-1, both the old and the new. He'd started to say they were her friends, but that didn't come close to describing what they meant to each other. They'd been through hell together. They were a family.

"I understand, Dr. Jackson." The doctor's gaze shifted from the team to her father, and she bit her lip thoughtfully. "We haven't found any signs of any toxic contamination. As far as I'm concerned, she's not a threat, sir. It should be safe for us to release her from isolation."

Landry nodded. "Good."

"So we can see her now?" Vala asked.

"I don't see why not," Dr. Lam shrugged.

Jack pushed himself out of his seat, only to be stopped by Daniel's voice. "Hold on, Jack." The archaeologist folded his hands and looked at Landry once more. "I think we should go back to the planet."

General Landry leaned back in his seat, eyes widening in surprise. "Do you think that's wise? After what happened to Colonel Carter, I don't want to risk exposing any more of my people to this...whatever it is."

"General, if we're going to find out what happened to Sam, we _need _to go back. There could be texts there that might give us a clue to what's going on," Daniel insisted.

"He has a point, sir," Mitchell chimed in.

Landry nodded slowly, thoughtfully. "All right. Take some time with Colonel Carter, people. You'll head out with SG-7 in the morning."

"Thank you, General," Daniel said.

Landry stood, looking at each member of the team. "Just keep your eyes open. You won't do Colonel Carter any good if you join her."

"Yes, Sir," Mitchell responded, getting to his feet. The rest of the team followed his lead, then waited for Landry to dismiss them. Once he had, Jack lead the way out of the room. Sam was waiting.

* * *

There just over an hour left before the memorial service began, but Sam still didn't feel like joining her teammates. Cam had dropped by earlier to invite her to join the team in the commissary, but she'd opted stay here in her lab. Right now, all she wanted was some time alone. It wasn't easy, though. People kept dropping by every few minutes, interrupting her solitude. Dr. Lee was the last one; he brought her a bowl of blue jello and a fresh cup of coffee. Food was the last thing on her mind, but she hadn't wanted to hurt his feelings. The coffee now sat forgotten by her laptop, rapidly cooling beside the jello.

_He's really gone. _She lowered her head to her hands, eyes closed. She hadn't cried since the morning Daniel called. She couldn't. All of her training told her she had to be strong, that she was wrong to feel this at all. Somehow everything had become so complicated. What should have been a relationship of mutual trust and respect had grown to something so deep it scared her. She told herself it didn't matter. Whatever chance they might have once had was gone long before now. So many opportunities had come to do something about her feelings, but she'd let them pass by. She had chosen duty over love. The stark truth of the thought caught her off guard. Was it really love? For years, she'd kept herself from even thinking about it. There was too much at stake, too much to lose if she took the chance only to find it wasn't real.

When she felt a hand touch her shoulder, she jumped, startled. She looked up to find Vala standing beside her, brow creased with visible concern. "Mind if I join you?"

Sam shook her head and motioned to an extra stool beside her workbench. "Go ahead."

Vala grabbed the stool and pulled it closer before sitting down. Sam averted her eyes, looking from the blinking green lights of the machinery over Vala's shoulder to the abandoned bowl of jello.

"I'm sorry, Sam," Vala said softly.

Sam met Vala's gaze, swallowing hard when she saw the look of open compassion in her teammate's eyes. Her vision wavered as tears filled her eyes. _Damn it, Carter. You're not going to cry! _A single rebellious tear tracked down her face anyway. She brushed it away and struggled to choke down the lump in her throat.

Vala didn't say anything else but wrapped an arm around Sam's shoulder, holding her friend as Sam's control crumbled and the tears came.

* * *

The team gathered around their friend, who now occupied a bed in the infirmary near Teal'c, each taking up their own places beside her bed. Daniel grabbed a chair and pulled it close; Vala hovered near him, reminding Carter of their shopping date that Friday. Mitchell stood at the foot of the bed, silently adding his support. Jack hung back at first, realizing anew that this wasn't his team anymore. They'd formed a close friendship, different than the one his team shared, but powerful all the same.

"Jack?" Daniel prompted.

The General nodded, moving up the opposite side of the bed from Daniel and Vala. His gaze was fixed on his former 2IC; she looked calm, peaceful--like nothing was wrong. He took another step; he was close enough to touch her now, but he didn't. "Hey, Carter," he whispered, aware that SG-1 and a couple nearby nurses were watching him. His eyes flickered from her face to Daniel's. The archaeologist met Jack's gaze, then nodded slowly in understanding.

Daniel pushed out of his chair, reaching for Vala's arm. "I need some coffee."

She started to protest, but Daniel glared pointedly. She glanced from him to Jack, eyes widening. "Oh. Me too."

Mitchell coughed. "I'm gonna go check on Teal'c."

Jack waited while they drifted away, an amused smirk touching his lips as Vala ambushed the nosy nurses on her way out. Now alone, Jack turned his eyes back to his friend, only to find his mind empty. What could he say? There were things that needed to be said, but even now, he couldn't find the words. He settled for a quiet, "I think you've slept long enough, Carter."


	4. Don't Give Up

_A/N: OMG, so, SO sorry it's taken me so long to finish this! You all have permission to zat me. This was the hardest chapter to write, mostly because I ran into a serious wall right after the first scene. I owe a TON of thanks (and chocolate) to Lionchilde for helping me get this finished. Anyway. On to the story! Hope it was worth the wait._

* * *

Nothing had changed since the last time they'd been on the planet; old science equipment and stray papers still littered the floor, long forgotten by the people who'd created them. Everything was coated with a thick layer of dust that rose in a cloud around their boots as the two SG teams moved through the room. Daniel stifled a sneeze and bent to pick up one of the journals. He had been translating one similar when they'd heard the explosion. 

Captain Jennifer Hailey stepped up beside him, peering at the scribbled text covering the pages. He hadn't expected the young Captain that morning when SG-7 arrived in the 'Gateroom. Last time he'd seen her, she was still a Lieutenant.

"What's it say?" she asked curiously.

He pointed to a line of text, sliding his finger along beneath it as he explained, "She was working on a cure to..." his brows furrowed as he found an unfamiliar word. "I'm not sure. Something big." He closed the book gently, laying it on a nearby desktop as he looked around the room. "She was proud to be here."

Hailey nodded slowly, then smiled. "Cool."

"Yep," Daniel smiled back.

Mitchell strolled over, both hands comfortably perched on the stock of his P90. "What exactly are we looking for here, Jackson?"

"Um," the archaeologist frowned. "Anything that might help us figure out what happened; what that device was supposed to do."

"Great," Mitchell sighed, rolling his head to look at SG-7's team leader. "Harris. You take your team and check out the labs down that corridor," he pointed to a doorway. "Sam said something about some lab notes she found back there. Think your guy can translate this stuff?"

Harris glanced at the linguist of his team, eyebrows rising.

Paul Collins, a young towhead with pimples and a nervous laugh, nodded briskly. "Yes, sir. It looks a lot like Greek, and I..." At the annoyed glare of his CO, he trailed off. Hiding his embarrassment with a cough, he answered, "Yeah, I can read it."

"Good," Mitchell said and turned back to Daniel. "So, we talking technical manuals here?"

Daniel nodded. "Or journals."

"Got it, Dr. Jackson," Paul assured.

"All right," Mitchell said. "We'll take Hailey with us - just in case we need her help with the device. Radio in every fifteen minutes."

Harris dipped his head. "Yes, sir."

The two teams moved off, each going their separate ways. Vala hung back with Daniel as Hailey and Mitchell walked ahead. Daniel ignored her, glancing in various smaller lab rooms as they passed. He hadn't had time to count the many rooms in the complex, but from what he had seen, there had to be hundreds. Whatever these people were studying, it was obviously paramount to their survival as a race. Daniel guessed that, considering the dilapidated condition of the facility, the scientists had failed.

"So, are you going to tell me or not?"

Surprised by the question, Daniel frowned. "What?"

Vala shrugged, flipping one of her pigtails over her shoulder. "I'm not blind, Daniel. Something is going on between them." At his confused look, she let out a dramatic sigh. "General O'Neill and Sam? Don't tell me you can't see it."

"See what, Vala?" he asked absently, peering inside another lab as they walked past it.

"Come on, Daniel. There's obviously _something _between them."

Daniel sighed and tugged his glasses off, then tiredly rubbed his eyes. "Vala... It's--it's a long story."

"They're in love, aren't they?"

"In love?" Daniel gaped. "That's--no, Vala. They're friends."

"Daniel," she sighed. "Don't you see the way he looks at her?" Vala questioned seriously, her eyes searching his face.

He looked away, then shook his head. "Even if they are in... Even if they are, Vala, nothing could happen."

"Why not?"

"Like I said, it's a long story," he murmured.

Vala looked ready to ask more questions, but Mitchell interrupted. "Hey, you two coming?" he called.

Daniel nodded briskly, slipping his glasses on and pushing past Vala. "Yeah, Mitchell. On our way."

* * *

Jack sat at his former 2IC's bedside, the fingers of his right hand drumming out an endless rhythm on the armrest of the chair. Every few minutes, one of the nurses wandered by to check on Carter. Aside from that, no one intruded on his brooding. 

Sighing, he reached for the now crumpled letter he'd brought with him from D.C. It was a letter of resignation, addressed to the president. He had started it a long time before, though it had stayed buried until just recently. And in all honesty, it had nothing to do with the current state of his former 2IC. She might play some part in his decision, but he had, so far, avoided thinking about _that_. If he resigned now, it would be because he wanted to. He'd already tried to retire more than once. After his years of service, he deserved a healthy pension and an uninterrupted fishing trip.

Fortunately for the fish, that had never worked out.

At the beginning, it was the threat of Goa'uld invasion that kept him wearing his uniform. Now the snakes were out of the picture, but an even bigger threat had risen to take their place. How could he retire if his planet still needed him?

His gaze moved to Carter's still form. His expression softened and he leaned forward. No, Earth didn't need him anymore. He was worn out, expendable. Most of his time these days was spent at a desk. Earth could live without him. They needed her, though. Carter's mind was always worth more than his. Way more.

_"_Come on, Carter," he whispered. If only he could somehow trade with her. The world wouldn't miss Jack O'Neill if he decided to go Sleeping Beauty on them. They would, however, miss Carter. Brushing his fingertips across her brow, he leaned closer. "Don't give up."

* * *

Sam took a long, slow breath of the clean air. She closed her eyes, savoring the warm feel of the sun on her skin. The sound of waves meeting the sandy beach filled her ears while sea gulls cried overhead. She knew she was dreaming; reality could never be this tranquil. If she never woke again, she would be happy. 

The thought had barely entered her mind when she heard his voice. "_Come on, Carter," _he whispered gently.

She spun around at the sound, expecting to see him standing there. Nothing. She was still alone. Maybe this dream wasn't so perfect after all. If it was, he would have been standing there when she turned.

But what could she expect? Jack O'Neill was gone. Yesterday at the memorial service, she'd thought she was finally ready to accept it.

"_Don't give up."_

His voice was clearer this time. So clear, in fact, that he could have been standing right next to her. "Sir?" she whispered, eyes searching the beach one more time. Still nothing. She _felt _him, though. _Where are you?_

* * *

He stroked her forehead absently, barely noticing as the nurse came back to check on her again. He did, however, notice the sudden flickering movement of his former 2IC's eyes. 

"Carter?" he pushed to his feet.

"Sir?" she mumbled, then went still.


	5. What You Want

A/N: I know, I suck. I'm sorry, guys. I've had terrible writer's block, which I know is really no excuse for leaving you hanging, but it's finally finished! I nearly tore the whole fic apart, but I managed (with the help of Lionchilde) to leave it in one piece. I did add a scene to the first chapter, though.

* * *

Daniel hurried though the hall towards the infirmary, his teammates following close behind. They had returned from the planet less than an hour before, and after briefing General Landry on their findings, Daniel had insisted they come here immediately. Once the General told him what had happened while in the infirmary while the team was offworld, Daniel _definitely _didn't want to waste any time. 

"Jack!" he called as they entered the infirmary. His shout earned him a corrective glare from one of the nurses, but he ignored her. Jack stood from where he'd been seated by Sam's bed, turning to face his friend. Daniel rushed over to him, glancing down at Sam. "Is she...? Landry said she was starting to wake up."

Jack's lips curved in a tired frown. "She was." He glanced back at Sam, brows furrowing. "She hasn't moved again in hours."

Cam stepped up beside Daniel. "Jackson thinks the device is...was...a... Uh, Jackson?"

"They were trying to save themselves," Daniel explained. "From what I gathered from their journals, the culture was on the brink of destroying itself. Scientists created this machine to teach the people to value life again."

Jack stared blankly. "Okay."

"It's running some kind of...program," Daniel said with a frown. "Sam would understand it better than I do, but if I read the translations correctly... Once it's finished, she'll wake up."

The General's eyebrows raised, and he looked back at Sam again. "That's it?"

"Not exactly, sir," Cam said with a heavy sigh. "Jackson seems to think it won't be _finished _until it thinks she's learned...whatever."

"Of course the scientists were delightfully vague on that little detail," Vala supplied with a wince.

"So...that's not it?" Jack frowned.

"That's all we know, Jack."

Jack bit back a sudden retort and turned his back, taking a slow step towards Sam's bed. He drug a hand through his hair and sighed. Daniel fully understood the pain and confusion he knew his friend was feeling. To Daniel, Sam was the sister he'd never had. She'd saved his life more than once and she had been there when it felt like his whole life was crumbling around him. Seeing her injured and helpless, waiting for them to find some way to save her... He grit his teeth. She _trusted _them! But so far, their only hope of finding a cure had left them with nothing but more unanswered questions.

Vala quietly cleared her throat. "Maybe we could try talking to her...?"

Jack looked back, meeting Vala's eyes. She lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "What could it hurt?"

"Yeah," Jack nodded slowly.

"Sounds like the best idea we've got so far," Cam said, dropping a hand onto Vala's shoulder. She gave him a weary smile, then followed the rest of her team to Sam's bedside. Silently they formed a protective circle around her, each shuffling into their own position at their friend's side.

Jack glanced up, meeting Daniel's gaze. Daniel translated the silent message and nodded_. Someone's missing._

Cam and Daniel broke off from the circle to retrieve Teal'c, returning moments later with their injured teammate supported between them. As they rejoined their friends, Daniel glimpsed General Landry come through the infirmary door, stepping close to his daughter to watch and to lend his silent support.

Now that they were all together, Cam reached out and patted Sam's blanketed knee. "We're all here, Sam."

Vala firmly nodded and added her own comment. "That's right, and we're not going anywhere. Which means you'd better wake up quick, because that coffee I drank earlier is on the move."

Daniel rolled his eyes, but stayed silent. He wasn't going to start a squabble now, especially not when he knew Vala was genuinely concerned about Sam, despite her usual outward flippancy. They were a family, and they were going to get their friend back.

* * *

Voices whispered in the wind, familiar and comforting to Sam's ears. She closed her eyes. It would be so easy to drift away now, but she wanted to hear his voice again. Just one last time. He'd told her not to give up, but she no longer knew what she was fighting for. 

It would be so easy to drift away.

_"Do not give in, ColonelCarter."_

_"Come on, Sam."_

_"...you still owe me a new pair of shoes."_

_"Hang in there, Sam. You're not getting out that easy."_

And then, there it was.

_"Don't let it win, Carter. Come on... Damn it, you're stronger than that!"_

It suddenly got harder to think of letting go. She held her breath, listening. The voices washed over her. His words mixed with others, echoing and building until they were almost unbearably loud. She strained to make out what they were saying, struggling to separate the individual voices. They were all so familiar, all so...real. More real than the image she'd been trying to project since General O'Neill had died.

"Where your treasure is..." a new voice whispered, barely audible over the others. Sam fought to hear it, but whatever came next was lost.

Suddenly the voices stopped. Everything stopped. When she opened her eyes, there was nothing but blackness. Another voice, unfamiliar and cold, reached through the nothing, "You have seen into your heart and found the truth. We have no further purpose."

At his words, everything she had lived through for the past few days, the beach, the voices, the memorial, the hospital - everything, rushed past in a blinding montage. She thought it was going to keep going, showing her entire life, but without warning, everything disappeared in a flash.

* * *

They were finally alone. Dr. Lam and her needle-wielding army had retreated to their caves and the rest of SG-1 had respectfully filtered away, recognizing that their two friends needed time to talk. In the time they had been alone, however, neither had said a word. They sat side by side on Carter's infirmary bed, Jack slowly swinging his legs while Carter sat still and silent. Jack had tried to say something more than once, but too many thoughts clamored and clawed for attention in his mind for him to focus on any single one. He didn't want to ruin the moment with a stupid comment, so he stayed quiet, his eyes locked on his clasped fingers. 

"You were dead," Carter said, startling him with the abruptness of her voice.

Jack's brows dipped in a frown and he tore his eyes away from his knuckles, meeting her gaze. "No I wasn't."

"Sir..." she shook her head, biting her lip. "It was so..." She trailed off and let silence fall once more.

"Carter..."

"You wouldn't understand," she mumbled.

"Damn it, Carter—Sam. Give me a chance," he snapped. She looked startled, but he didn't apologize. "Believe it or not, I do. I think. It's not like I haven't been...stuck. I've known my share of nightmares." When she didn't answer, he reached out and lifted her chin with his finger. "I'm here. I'm not dead. Okay?"

Slowly, she nodded, smiling faintly through her tears. "Yeah."

Jack smiled back, tenderly brushing her chin before withdrawing his hand. "Okay."

"Sir?"

"Yeah?"

"I thought I heard something while...while I was in there."

"Oh?" Jack's brows rose. "You mean about Vala's shoes?"

Carter snorted, ducking her head and smiling—for real this time. "No. Something else. Something about treasure."

"Treasure?" Jack echoed.

"Yeah. There was more, but I couldn't hear it."

"Oh. So no secret map?"

"Sir! I'm serious!"

Jack coughed, hiding his grin behind his hand.

"I think it was what got me out of there. I wish I knew what it meant." She sighed, staring hard at her hands. Jack just let her sit there, not saying a word. When she looked up, meeting his gaze, tears glistened in her eyes again. "When you were...when I thought you were dead. There was so much I wanted to tell you. And then..."

"It's okay, Carter. I know."

Her eyes searched his face. "Do you?"

He smiled. "Promise."

She tilted her head, still not breaking eye contact. Jack decided he liked being looking at her like this, without a thought of what someone else might think. He could believe nothing else mattered, nothing else existed. Just O'Neill and Carter.

"Now what?"

He knew what she was asking. _Do we leave it in the room? Do we walk away - again?_

He smiled again and leaned close. "Now we go fishing."


End file.
